Since January 2024, detentions and arrests of journalists have reached unprecedented levels, mostly while they were covering protest rallies. Altogether, a total of 30 cases were documented. 27 detentions occurred during the protests against the so-called “Russian law,” post-election protests, and post-European protests. Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and director of the publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested twice; the court sentenced her to both administrative and criminal penalties. In the majority of cases journalists were performing professional duties – covering protests.
Media representatives arrested under the tightened legislation after October 19
Since October 19, 2025, after the Georgian Dream parliament passed another repressive amendment, bringing changes to the Criminal Code of Georgia and the Code of Administrative Offenses, under an expedited procedure, 14 cases of arrests or detentions took place in Tbilisi in the Rustaveli Avenue. At the time of detention, in 4 cases, journalists were performing professional duties – covering the ongoing protest rally.
1.On November 22, during a protest rally in Tbilisi, Giorgi Mamniashvili, a journalist with TV Pirveli, was arrested near Ingorokva Street. At the moment of his arrest, he was performing his professional duties. The court fined him 3,000 GEL for alleged police disobedience;
2. On November 12, Afghan Sadigov, an Azerbaijani journalist living in exile in Georgia, was given administrative arrest for the second time on the pretext of blocking the road. Afgan Sadigov was sentenced to 7 days of detention;
3. On 5 November, Formula TV journalist Liza Tsitsishvili was detained. She was released approximately ten minutes later, and an apology was issued to her. Liza Tsitsishvili was performing her professional duties at the time;
4. On 3 November, was arrested a journalist with online platform MediaChecker.ge Ninia Kakabadze. Her court hearing is scheduled for 12 November. At the time of her detention, Ninia Kakabadze was performing her professional duties. The court has not yet concluded the hearing of Ninia Kakabadze’s case;
5. On October 25, Nika Pataraia, a cameraman for the Formula TV was arrested and sentenced to 4 days in prison;
6. On October 24, writer and publisher, editor-in-chief of Intelekti publishing and anchor at Formula TV – Zviad Kvaratskhelia was arrested. Zviad Kvaratskhelia was given 3 days of administrative detention;
7. On October 24, the founder and director of Formula Giorgi Liponava was arrested for participating in a protest rally. Giorgi Lifonava was given 3 days of administrative detention;
8. On October 22, journalist Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze, a member of the board of the Public Broadcaster, was arrested and sentenced to 5 days in prison;
9. On October 22, Azerbaijani journalist in exile, Afgan Sadigov, was arrested and sentenced to 14 days in prison;
10. On October 21, former journalist of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Vasil-Ivanov Chikovani was arrested. He was sentenced to 7 days in administrative detention;
11. On October 21, TV journalist Tsira Zhvania was arrested and sentenced to 10 days in prison;
12. On October 19, TV presenter and journalist Vakho Sanaia of Formula TV was arrested, and sentenced to 6 days in prison;
13. On October 20, TV Pirveli journalist Keta Tsitskishvili of Formula TV was arrested, and sentenced to 5 days in prison;
14. On October 24, journalist Basti Mgaloblishvili of the online media outlet Publika.ge was detained and released within hours. Mgaloblishvili was performing his professional duties and covering the protest rally.
According to the amendments, administrative imprisonment of up to 15 days, without a fine, is provided for wearing a mask at a rally, possessing tear gas, and blocking a road. In addition, judges will no longer have the right to use fines as an administrative penalty in cases of administrative offenses.
Journalists detained or arrested from January 2024 until October 2025
15. On April 6, 2025, Saba Sordia, a journalist for Indigo, was arrested. At the time, he was not performing journalistic duties. Sordia spent 48 hours in a pre-trial detention center and was charged with disobeying a police officer (Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). He was later released and fined GEL 2,000.
16. In the early morning hours of February 19, 2025, police officers forcefully arrested TV Pirveli cameraman Lasha Jioshvili. He was accused of disobeying a police officer (Article 173 of the Administrative Offenses Code). On February 20, the court found Jioshvili guilty of the administrative offense and fined him GEL 2,500.
17. On the night of January 12, 2025, during a protest near the Police Department in Batumi, police arrested Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and director of online Batumelebi and Netgazeti, following an altercation in which she slapped the police chief. She was sentenced to 2 years in prison on August 6, under the Criminal Code (See below for more on Mzia Amaglobeli’s case).
18. Late on the evening of January 11, 2025, during a protest in front of the Police Department in Batumi, police detained Mzia Amaglobeli, founder and director of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, for an administrative offense. She was detained for affixing a protest sticker to a wall and was released later that night after signing a written statement;
19. On January 12, 2025, during a protest in front of the Constitutional Court in Batumi, police arrested Guram Murvanidze, a cameraman and photographer with Batumelebi, while he was covering the event. He was sentenced to eight days of administrative detention.
20. Photographer Luka Ghviniashvili was arrested on December 12, 2024, and sentenced by the court to seven days of administrative detention.
21. On the night of December 7, 2024, Beslan Kmuzov, a journalist for Kavkazky Uzel, was arrested after taking a photo of riot police officers on Rustaveli Avenue. The court fined him 2,000 GEL, and he was released on December 8.
22. On December 7, 2024, Beka Korshia, a journalist and anchor for Mtavari Arkhi TV, was arrested during a protest. According to the TV company, Korshia was physically assaulted during his arrest. He was released on December 9 and fined 2, 200 GEL by the court.
23. On the night of December 1, 2024, during the dispersal of a protest at the Rustaveli metro station, police arrested Giorgi Chagelishvili, a journalist for the online outlet Mautskebeli. Video footage shows Chagelishvili identifying himself as a journalist to the police, but they still arrested him.
24. According to the online publication On.ge, photographer Nikoloz Tabukashvili was arrested at a protest rally on November 30, 2024.
25. On November 30, 2024, special forces officers arrested and assaulted a news producer at Radio Tavisupleba – Beka Beradze. He was taken to the Sagarejo temporary detention center. Beradze told his lawyer that he identified himself as a journalist to law enforcement, but they arrested him regardless.
26. On November 19, 2024, police physically assaulted Sergi Baramidze, a cameraman for Mtavari Arkhi TV, prevented him from doing his job, and detained him. His television equipment was also damaged.
27. In the early hours of May 3, 2024, during a protest against the so-called “Russian law” on Rustaveli Avenue, police detained Giorgi Badridze, editor of the online publication Tabula.ge. He was released after signing a written statement a few hours later.
28. On April 30, 2024, a freelance photographer Luka Gviniashvili was covering a protest when he was physically assaulted by special forces officers and then arrested. He spent two days in a pre-trial detention center.
29. On April 30, 2024, police officers forcibly pulled Robi Zaridze, a journalist from ifact.ge, into a cordon where he was physically assaulted by special forces officers before being detained. He was released once it became clear that he was a journalist carrying out his professional duties.
30. On January 23, 2024, while the National Enforcement Bureau was evicting a family from a residential building, Gela Mtivlishvili, founder and editor-in-chief of the online outlet Mtis Ambebi, was covering the event when police arrested him for alleged police disobedience. He was later released following a court decision and fined 2,000 GEL. On the day of his arrest, Mtivlishvili filed a complaint with the Special Investigation Service, accusing authorities of illegal detention, interference with journalistic work, and physical violence. Five months following the investigation, the Prosecutor General’s Office officially recognized him as a victim.
